Layers
by Rachel500
Summary: Pepper doesn't mean to become Pepper. Or fall in love with Tony.


Disclaimer: Iron Man is owned by Marvel Entertainment and I am just borrowing the characters.

 **Author's Note:** This was previously just posted to AO3. Takes place pre and post Iron Man. Character study for Pepper and Tony.

 **Pairings:** Pepper/Tony

 **Layers**

1.

When she joins Stark Industries she's Ginny not Pepper, she's twenty-one, newly graduated, top of her class and yet the only way she can get hired at Stark Industries is as an executive assistant to a manager several rungs down the ladder from Tony Stark and Obadiah Stane. She plans to somehow be magically transported out of the administrative pool and into management through hard work and tenacity; she studies for her MBA in her spare time. For a year, she's simply another cog in the corporate machine and she joins everyone else in having a crush on Tony.

Mostly it's because he's young, rakishly handsome and has the type of charisma more associated with film and rock stars than CEOs. It doesn't hurt that he's the bad boy that the paparazzi loves to hate and his wild exploits paint the newsstands and provide fodder for the water cooler. Coupled to that is the brilliance of his intelligence. Everyone is rightly proud that the company they work for is heads and shoulders above their nearest rivals and everybody knows they owe that to Tony. But Tony is like most CEOs, and the majority of the company only see him occasionally in corporate videos or fleetingly at a company picnic. Everyone has a crush on Tony because he remains a distant glossy illusion.

Her manager suddenly gets put in charge of a big project. Bill is a nice guy who gives her a lot of responsibility and a lot of credit for the work she puts in. They plough through the concept together helping to shape it into something real. Ginny thinks the math is beautiful even as she corrects an error she's found in the raw data. Bill's just about to begin the first project review with the Director of Operations with Ginny sitting in to take notes when Tony enters the room.

'Carry on. Don't mind me.' Tony's carrying a tumbler with an amber liquid that could be Scotch or bourbon. He's startling good-looking in person; clothes tailored to fit him perfectly; hair swept back in a style that probably cost more than Ginny's rent; brown eyes that are warm and flirtatious. Those same eyes travel around the room wide and guileless but Ginny gets the impression he misses nothing. He sits down next to Phyllis, the Operations director, who blushes bright red and gestures at Bill to continue.

Ten minutes later, the raw numbers flash up onto the projector and Tony stands up abruptly.

'These numbers are wrong.' He says, setting the glass on the table and striding to the front of the room to look at the projection close-up.

Phyllis looks disturbed. Ginny exchanges an anxious look with Bill.

'Not wrong,' Tony continues, 'different. Who corrected it?'

Bill nudges her and she clears her throat as she raises her hand.

'And you are?' Tony's gaze sweeps over her speculatively.

'Ginny Potts.' She answers, hands tightening around the notepad. She's definitely not telling him her actual name of Virginia.

'Well done to you, Miss Potts.' Tony congratulates her.

Before she can respond or say anything, the door opens and Stane walks in, collecting Tony with a jovial bonhomie that doesn't quite hide the irritation, and all but carrying him out with remonstrations that Tony sometimes has to let others play with his ideas because he doesn't have time to work on them all.

For a second there's silence as they absorb that the project they're working on is a Tony Stark original concept and then Bill gamely carries on.

An hour later, someone from Human Resources arrives and Ginny's reassigned to Tony with a speed that scares and exhilarates her in equal measure. Bill congratulates her and wishes her well because that's just the kind of sweetheart he is.

An hour after that, Ginny has been renamed Pepper by Tony and her crush on him has died in exposure to the chaotic and self-obsessed reality of him.

2.

It takes time for Ginny to become Pepper in her own head. It's a slow process because Tony's Pepper, (the one he's designed in _his_ head like she's his latest new robot), is ultra-organised and can handle anything from complicated mechanical specifications to picking up his dry-cleaning; from handling a conference call in French to buying a new house because the priceless sculpture he's just bought won't fit the décor of his other residences. But with every task successfully completed, Ginny takes another step to becoming Pepper.

She starts to navigate around Tony's mercurial moods, understanding when she can demand his attention on his CEO duties and when she just has to rearrange everything to accommodate the whims of an intelligence that demands his attention without care of anything else in Tony's life including Tony; the brilliance of a genius that makes Tony completely unreliable and astonishingly hard-working at the same time.

She also learns how to deal with Tony's flirting because Tony just can't help himself. She's not foolish enough to fall for it – the succession of one night stands she ushers out and her own stubborn refusal to become a secretary pining for her boss like a heroine in a 1970s Harlequin novel helps with that enormously – but it flusters her until almost six months in she eventually gets tired of being flustered and answers back.

She finds him working in the basement as she's about to leave. 'Don't forget to get some sleep; you have a breakfast meeting with Mr Stane tomorrow.'

'Obie won't mind if I miss it.' Tony says.

Obie is used to Tony being Tony is the underlying message but he's closing down his work. Tony gets up and slides right into her personal space; too close for a boss. She looks up at him and raises an eyebrow because, seriously?

'You could come tuck me in, Pepper.' He says suggestively.

His eyes spark with amusement when she rolls her eyes instead of stumbling over her words; as she holds her ground instead of stepping back. 'Not in this lifetime, Mr Stark.' She smiles at him. 'Is that all?'

Tony smirks at her. 'That will be all, Miss Potts.'

He trusts her more after that as though her refusal to sleep with him is the ultimate sign of her trustworthiness.

3.

She finds allies in James Rhodes, a Lieutenant Colonel who knew Tony at MIT and seems to be his only friend; in Happy Hogan, Tony's chauffeur and occasional body-guard; in Stane who slowly becomes Obie to her as much as he's Obie to Tony. And with her MBA secured, she _embraces_ being Pepper; starts to own being Pepper.

Her relationship with Tony settles somewhere between friendship and a working partnership. He doesn't remember her birthday or the anniversary of when she started to work for him but he always makes sure she buys a present for herself from him for both. Tony slides more and more of his CEO work her way. He assumes she'll take care of things when he gets distracted by a party or a bar or someone pretty flirting with him. He confidently pushes meetings and calls her way when he doesn't want to be bothered with doing them. In fact, he trusts her with every aspect of his life so comprehensively that she could ruin him with ease. He asks her opinion about anything and everything. He seemingly hides nothing from her; not his indiscretions, his drinking binges, his errors of judgement both personal and professional. She knows the inside story of every tabloid headline.

But she also sees things that don't make the news; the endless hours given over to his genius, the odd thoughtful gesture given to herself, Rhodey, Happy and Obie. And then there's Tony's surprisingly soft heart; the way he anonymously funds medical research into a number of illnesses; the way he always stops to talk to children at any event; the care he takes wining and dining the grandmotherly matron who bought him at a charity auction as though she were America's Next Top Model. If his acts of generosity sometimes seem to have no rhyme or reason to them, that's just Tony.

She grows genuinely fond of Tony. But for all she cares for him, and can't picture her life without him, she's still not in love with him and has no intention of falling. Pepper thinks she _knows_ him too well to make that mistake.

She sends him off to Afghanistan with a smile; forgiving him forgetting her birthday as he does every year with a smug indulgence. She goes out for a meal with an old friend from her university days. She has a good time.

The next day, she gets the call that Tony's convoy was attacked and he's missing.

4.

They expect a ransom but nothing happens. Obie gives a press conference and steps in as CEO as he did when Tony's father died. Pepper provides Obie with support, helping him to make sense of the work Tony has left behind. She thinks Obie's being kind to her because she knows how much Obie already knows about the business. She continues to look after the house and Tony's personal affairs – his private portfolio of investments separate from the work of Stark Industries provides a welcome distraction. But it's like finding herself in the eye of a storm; it's too peaceful, it's too still, it's too calm.

She hates it.

Two months after Tony goes missing, Rhodey calls her from Afghanistan where he's been leading the search and tells her in cautious words and phrases that there's still no sign; that they have to be prepared that they may never find Tony.

She ends the call and goes to catalogue Tony's closet for no other reason than to keep busy. She's in the middle of his closet when she breaks down. She's crumpling an Armani tie in her hands, crying until her nose runs and her eyes are sore. She misses Tony. She's scared that he's dead or hurt.

'Are you alright, Miss Potts?' JARVIS asks gently.

Pepper swipes at her eyes and nose with the back of her hand. 'I'm fine, JARVIS.' She lies, taking a deep breath. 'Thank you.' She frowns at the crumpled material she's still holding.

'May I suggest the dry cleaners, Miss Potts?' JARVIS says mildly. 'I have noticed Mr Stark always prefers Armani when he returns from abroad.'

The simple assumption of the AI that Tony will return and want his tie soothes something in Pepper. She sends the tie to the dry cleaners.

Three months after Tony disappears, Rhodey finds him.

5.

Pepper can't help noticing that Tony walks down the ramp holding tightly to his best friend but he waves off the paramedics and he stands in front of her unsupported, his back straight. The words are teasing as he jokes that she's cried for him, and she jokes back as expected but she can't miss that his eyes look haunted. She wonders what happened to him. She's only heard the bare minimum from Rhodey: that Tony was held captive by terrorists and physically hurt; that there's a device in his chest keeping him alive.

A couple of hours later she realises that for all the press conference would suggest Tony is just as impulsive and irresponsible about what he says as ever, Tony has changed. He leans on her as she and Happy help him into his house and when Tony slumps down on the sofa, he looks tired and small, vulnerable. He doesn't look like Tony.

'I'm serious you know.' Tony says as she places food on the coffee table. 'No more weapons.'

'We make weapons, Tony.' Pepper says with a touch of exasperation. 'You can't be surprised people are confused when you say that we're not going to make weapons anymore.' She's worried about his mental state.

'What about you, Pepper?' Tony asks bluntly. 'Are you confused?'

She looks up and realises Tony is staring back at her seriously; more seriously than he's ever looked at her before as though he's actually looking at her for the first time, or maybe allowing her to see him for the first time.

'I think you went through something terrible and…' She stops because if she continues she may start crying and she doesn't want Tony to see her do that; has a feeling he definitely doesn't want to see her do that. 'When you've had a chance to recover and think about what you want to do then if this is something you want…I'll help you.' She pushes a plate towards him. 'Like always.'

His mouth twists a little and his expression closes up. He gets to his feet ignoring the food. 'I think I'm just going to…you know, tired, busy day getting rescued, coming home, destroying my company and all so…'

He goes to bed and Pepper knows she's said something wrong but she doesn't know what.

A day later he calls her down to the lab and she replaces the device in his chest with a new version. He tells her to get rid of the old one but she holds onto it. It saved his life and if he's never been accused of being nostalgic, that's OK; she can be nostalgic for both of them.

6.

He's immersed in work every time she goes downstairs to the workshop after that including the time she takes him the present of his old reactor boxed up with teasing words to make him smile. He says he's not building a weapon but the things he's building look like weapons or parts of a robot or some really ugly mechanical prosthetics. It's difficult to see what Tony's new direction is.

But she sees how disturbed he is by Obie's news that the board is shutting Tony out, claiming he has PTSD. She sees his dismay at finally believing he's being responsible only to be thought of as irresponsible. She can't help thinking that maybe Tony has a point that it's unfair.

The evening of the Annual Fire-fighters Charity Ball she's surprised not only that Tony is there but that he approaches her and invites her to dance. He never has before. And there's a different quality to their back and forth; his teasing remarks don't hide how much he truly does appreciate her, might even think she's sexy and want her for more than the fact that she knows his social security number.

It's weird and she knows what people will think because it's _Tony_. He doesn't get it when they go outside and she tries to explain it. They stand too close to each other, and for a moment, he's looking at her again like he did the first night after his return; all serious and sincere. And maybe for a moment that old crush flickers back into life and she wavers. He looks as weirded out as she feels, and they step back.

She waits for the drink she'd asked him to get for far too long before she realises he's just left her there alone and isn't coming back.

He hasn't changed after all: Tony is still Tony.

Finding him dangling in a suit of red and gold metal riddled with dents and holes does nothing to alter that opinion.

7.

'What were you thinking?' Pepper rages at him as she retrieves the ice-pack. He's bruised and battered. 'Were you actually thinking? Because I don't think you were thinking!'

'I was thinking that I could do something to help and I did!' Tony retorted. He's brimming with pride. 'You should have seen me, Pepper! The suit is great. I might have to reconsider some things though because Raptors _hurt_ when they hit you let me tell you…'

Pepper shakes her head in confusion. 'You could have been killed! Are you crazy?' Her hands are shaking as she presses the ice-pack to his shoulder.

He sobers up and puts his hand over hers. 'I'm OK, Pepper. The suit protected me.' He lets go. 'And it was worth it. Those terrorists won't be able to use my weapons anymore.'

Her eyes follow his toward the red and gold metal hanging from the various robotic arms. She presses her lips together. 'Look, Tony, I understand wanting to get revenge but this is…' she shakes her head again in disbelief, 'this is too much! You…'

'This isn't about me!' Tony says fiercely. 'Those people are in danger because Stark Industries…Obie sold them the weapons.'

The heartbreak in his voice stills her. She examines his expression and there's no amused smirk; he's deadly serious.

Her mouth goes dry with the implications. 'Why? Why would Obie…I mean…'

Tony shakes his head. 'He told me himself, Pepper.' He looks almost as broken as he did when he came back from Afghanistan the first time. 'He's behind the board lock-out.'

'Are you sure this isn't just a misunderstanding?' Pepper asks faintly. Because for Obie to turn on Tony that way…it was unthinkable.

'No misunderstanding.' Tony's smile is sad and his eyes are filled with hurt. 'I don't know why but he was very clear about what he'd done.'

Pepper can barely comprehend it. If Obie knowingly sold weapons to terrorists, to enemies of the US, it invalidates half of their contracts not to mention makes them criminals and…and then there's Tony. Obie's the closest thing to family that Tony has. Tony doesn't have many people in his life who genuinely care for him; how could Obie betray Tony?

She slides a hand over Tony's. 'What do you need me to do?'

Tony squeezes her hand. 'I don't know yet. I need time to think but…' he waves a hand at the suit, 'Obie can't know about this.'

'I won't tell him,' she promises, 'I won't say anything to anybody.' She takes a breath. 'But, Tony, you have to promise me that you won't use it again.'

Tony slides out from under her touch. 'I should get changed…' he motions towards the stairs and disappears.

Pepper watches him go. She turns back and looks again at the suit; at the scorched red and gold armour; at the face-plate with its flat angry eyes and mouth.

She shivers.

8.

Pepper shivers again when a couple of days later, Tony talks about missions and using the suit; that there's nothing else for him. She threatens to quit because this is just like Tony at his worst, reckless and self-destructive. He's going to get himself killed and she might not be in love with him but she cares about him, too much to see him do that to himself.

But when he argues back, Pepper's reminded that Tony has always been more than the sum of his parts; that she's never truly needed to box up an arc reactor to have proof that Tony has a heart. It's so hard to resist _this_ Tony; a Tony who wants his inventions to protect people; who wants to clean up the mess that his company – that Obadiah has made; who feels a responsibility for the pain and destruction his weapons have wrought regardless that he isn't the one who sold them. Who wants to do what is right. How can she resist this Tony? She can't.

Pepper doesn't mean to fall in love with Tony but maybe in that moment she does, just a little.

But then there's fear (of being discovered when she finds out just how deep Obie's betrayal cuts) and terror (of gigantic robots and dying) and explosions (and Tony up on the roof almost dying again). When it's over, Obadiah is dead and Tony isn't; _she_ isn't.

Before the press conference, Tony stands in front of her as she straightens his handkerchief and asks if she thinks about the night they danced. There's a part of her – the part that's maybe a little in love with Tony – that's tempted to respond to the warm look in his eyes that gives away that he truly cares for her. But he needs to do better than leaving her alone waiting on him to show up. She tucks his handkerchief back in his pocket and hopes he takes the hint but something flickers in his eyes as they conclude and she wonders if she's said the wrong thing again.

Five minutes later, she's open-mouthed in dismay as Tony ignores the advice he's been given by SHIELD, the plans that have been made, and announces he's Iron Man.

But she shouldn't be surprised, Pepper muses. It's taken Tony building a literal suit of armour for her to realise that Tony has layers of it that he's worn for years: the playboy billionaire, the eccentric CEO, the mad genius, the mercurial boss, the unreliable friend, the son of Howard. And now he has the ultimate layer to hide behind, one reinforced with actual metal.

So, yes; Pepper might just be a little in love with Tony, but she rather thinks she hates Iron Man.

fin.


End file.
